


Thanks

by lolamit



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Drabble, Light Angst, M/M, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood-centric, Malec, Short, helpful magnus, injured jace
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-01
Updated: 2016-06-01
Packaged: 2018-07-11 14:56:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7057096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lolamit/pseuds/lolamit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Magnus unwillingly helps heal Jace, once again, going out of his way for people who show him little to no sense of gratitude. Except for one individual, that is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thanks

**Author's Note:**

> Day 10 of my 30 Days of Writing challenge!
> 
> Enjoy!

"So, can you do it?" Clary asked, her eyes staring intently at Magnus. 

"I'm a warlock, not a genie," Magnus sighed. “I can’t just snap my fingers and make good.”

"You're just going to let him die?" Clary raised her voice, clearly worried, but coming off more as harsh. 

"I'm not going to let him die, but if he does, it's not on me." Magnus shrugged, which upset the shadowhunter even more.

"How can you just stand there? I thought you were helping us!" She shouted, flailing her arms in an attempt to convince the warlock. 

"I'm helping _you_ , not every shadowhunter you bring here, Clary Fairchild," Magnus said. "And the only reason I'm helping you in the first place is because I knew your mother."

Isabelle and Alec stood back, watching the two exchange knives in the form of words as Jace lay senseless on Magnus’ leather couch. The four shadowhunters had made a bad habit of coming here for help whenever they needed it, which seemed to be more often than not. Their last mission had gone south when a demon came out of nowhere, knocking Jace off his guard before anyone else could warn him. Clary had suggested they take him to Magnus, considering he was the only one they knew with enough powers to heal him, but Alec had been hesitant, knowing their visits usually upset the warlock. 

The bickering was soon over, and left Clary kneeling beside Jace as Magnus exited the room, shaking his head as he did so. 

"Let me talk to him," Alec told Isabelle, following the warlock into another room. 

***

"Magnus-"

"I'm tired of being treated as a wishing well, Alexander,” Magnus interrupted Alec almost instantly, as if aware the shadowhunter would follow him. “You can't just throw a dime at me and expect me to grant your every wish."

"I know, I'm sorry. But, Jace is my brother," Alec pleaded. "If he were to die, I..."

Magnus sighed. His eyes traveling along Alec’s body as he did, stopping as they locked with his eyes. Magnus closed his eyes, rubbing his temples with two fingers, whispering to himself. _“The things I do for you, Nephilim.”_

"Get Clary and Isabelle out of the room," he said, opening his eyes again. "I need him alone."

Alec nodded, leaving the room without hesitating, trusting the warlock completely.

"C'mon, let's go." Alec said, grabbing his sister by the arm to get them out faster.

"We're leaving?" Izzy asked, confused. 

"We can't leave him here, Alec!" Clary’s voice was strident and loud.

"Magnus said to leave them alone, so that's what we're doing." Alec explained, moving his eyes from Clary to Magnus.

"Give me an hour,” the warlock required, receiving a nod from both Alec and Isabelle. 

Clary left reluctantly, dragged out by the arm. Magnus sighed when they left, returning his gaze to the blond man lying on his couch.

"Why is it I always end up helping you, when it's your brother I truly care about?" Magnus asked rhetorically. "What does he see in you?" 

***

"I can't believe we're just going to stand here when Jace is up there dying!" Clary was still shouting, not comprehending how her friends could stay so calm.

"He's in good hands, Clary," Isabelle reassured. "We wouldn't have left if we didn't believe so." 

Alec didn’t speak, he just kept his eyes fixated on the Clary to make sure she didn’t do anything drastic. He was glad Isabelle understood the situation, not forcing Magnus to do anything against his will – which, essentially, they had anyway.

***

"Is it the hair? I could do blond." 

Magnus wasn’t very fond of the peace and quiet type lifestyle, and if his company was unconscious, he’d just talk to himself to pass the time. 

"Come on, Jace," Magnus spoke. "Don't make me disappoint your brother." He whispered as he poured the potion he’d made into Jace’s mouth. The shadowhunter didn’t move, making Magnus worry he’d ever open his eyes.

“Wake up, Jace,” he said, as if ordering the unconscious mind of his patient. “ _Wake up!_ ”

With a gasp, the shadowhunter jolted into a sitting position, breathing heavily. Magnus let out a relieved breath as Jace caught his. It all happened very timely, because not ten seconds later, the door swung open and in rushed a whirlwind of red hair, black clothes and seraph blades.

"The hour's passed, did you-" Clary spoke loudly as she entered the room, stopping mid-sentence as she spotted the sitting blond. "Jace!" She exclaimed, running toward the boy.

"Thank you, Magnus," Izzy said as she walked past him, Magnus nodding in response.

Alec stopped at the door, his eyes focused on Jace. Magnus watched him, pondering over whether or not all of this was worth it. It pained him more than he’d ever admit how Alec loved Jace, but he understood it wouldn’t change in a heartbeat. 

He left the room, giving the four shadowhunters the space to reunite. The sheets on his bed comforted him as he drowned in silk and sorrow, not regretting saving Jace, but remorseful of how he was handling things with Alec. He heard a laugh. Then another. Or, perhaps they were cries, he really couldn’t tell the differences. He kept his eyes closed, because everything felt so much clearer in darkness.

 

"So, how much?" A voice said suddenly, Magnus recognizing it by only the first inhalation. 

"I don't want money, Alexander," he responded, sitting up on the bed.

Alec had closed the door behind him, in case Magnus wanted privacy while discussing the prizes.

"Then what do you want?" Alec raised his eyebrows at the warlock.

"I think you already know what I want," Magnus said as their eyes locked. "So, for now, see it as a favor." 

Alec smiled wryly, thankful for Magnus’ help, but feeling unjust for intruding the way they had. He hadn’t quite grasped what the warlock had meant by him already knowing, though, and felt slightly bad about it. How was he supposed to know what Magnus’ thought? He couldn’t read minds. 

"I can't thank you enough, Magnus," Alec said, showing all sense of gratitude in the form of a smile as he possibly could, hoping his eyes radiated with appreciation.

Magnus returned the smile, for the first time today, knowing the shadowhunter hadn’t meant any harm. His frustration was with shadowhunters in general, not with Alec, so he shouldn’t take it out on him. Especially not if he ever wanted the boy to open his eyes – broaden his horizons – and realize how powerful and indisputable Magnus’ feelings were for him. 

“Perhaps one day,” he said, letting go of Alec’s eyes as well as his hopes, at least for now.


End file.
